Children with disabilities deprived of play equipment

MINDLESS vandalism by heartless thugs will deprive
children with disabilities of the use of specific play equipment in a new
public playground planned for the Northside.

Dublin City Council said it would not be providing
specific equipment for children with disabilities in the new Fairview
playground in light of damage that was caused to similar equipment in the past.

The situation was highlighted when Clontarf ward
councillor Damian O’Farrell (Ind) called on the council to include specific
swings for wheelchair users in the design for the playground.

However, the council said that while the project has
been designed to maximise access to children of as broad a range of abilities
as possible, it would not have any equipment to cater for the needs of children
with disabilities.

“It is not proposed to provide play equipment for
children with specific disabilities,

? a council spokesperson stated.

“The vulnerability of any items of play equipment to
abuse and durability of equipment is also considered when deciding on specific
items for inclusion in the public playground layout.

“This division [the Parks Department] provided
specific items of play equipment for children using wheelchairs at St Anne’s
Park playground in 2010, which was vandalised shortly after its installation by
way of fire.

“The replacement item has since been stolen from the
park and the division is investigating a further replacement.

?

The wheelchair accessible swing at St Anne’s Park was
provided following a campaign first started by Northside People in September
2010 when the family of three-year-old Caoimhe Ross, who has special needs,
highlighted the inequality of not having equipment to cater for
wheelchair-users.

Caoimhe, who is unable to sit up on her own and
required a five-point harness swing, was left in a situation where she was
agitated and annoyed at having to sit back while her older and able-bodied
sister played in the playground.

The Ross family and other families in a similar
situation warmly welcomed the council’s decision to equip the playground with a
suitable swing some months later.

However, the swing was damaged soon after its
installation much to the outrage and frustration of local playground users.

Cllr O’Farrell said it was a crying shame that youths
behaving like

“little gurriers

? have deprived more unfortunate children of a
moment’s pleasure. He believes that if provided, the specialised equipment
would be better protected in Fairview playground.

“The playground in Fairview Park is very much on open
ground and passive security is provided by the public and traffic on the busy
main road adjacent,

? he added.

“The situation isn’t the same as St Anne’s where the
playground is in the middle of the park and not visible from the road.

“I will continue to insist that a facility for
wheelchair users is provided in Fairview.

?